This book is primarily concerned with the quality of professional human services. To this topic are addressed two basic questions. First, what does the paraprofessional do? And second, to what effect does this quality relate to the consumer of these services? The book includes seven chapters, in which the following fields are considered: education, mental health, social work, health, and police and corrections. The multiplicity of evidence derived from the studies conducted leads to the conclusion that paraprofessionals play an important role as service agents and contribute positively to the well being of consumers in highly significant and often unique ways. (Author/CK)